ne more than you will want to
stand punishment for. Besides, I have got you covered, and if you move
that carbine a hair's breadth you are a gone deserter."

"And I've got the drop on you, Sandy," said Carey, thrusting his cocked
revolver over Bob's shoulder, "so don't wink.--I say, corporal," he
added in a whisper, "I don't see Talbot anywhere."

"Neither do I," answered Bob. "Keep your eyes open, for he may be up to
playing us some trick."

Whether it was the cool determination exhibited by Bob and his men, or
the consciousness that they were in the wrong that took all the fight
out of the deserters, we cannot tell; but they were cowed by something,
and when Corporal Owens and his troopers filed into the dug-out, and the
former sternly commanded them to "throw up," every carbine was dropped
to the ground and five pairs of hands were raised in the air.

"Where's the other?" demanded Bob. "There ought to be six of you."

"Here I am," said a faint voice.

Bob looked in the direction from which the voice came, and saw Talbot
sitting in a dark corner, his carbine lying by his side and both his
hands raised above his head. He wore a handkerchief around his forehead,
and, dim as the light was, Bob could see that it was streaked with
blood.

"Are you badly hurt?" he asked with some anxiety.

"No, he isn't," exclaimed Bristow, before the wounded man could speak.
"A glancing ball cut a little crease in his scalp, and he thinks he is
killed."

"I wish you had this little crease in your own scalp," said Talbot,
looking savagely at Bristow. "If it hadn't been for you I never should
have been here."

"And if it hadn't been for _you_, and a few cowards just like you, we
never should have been captured," retorted Bristow. "We could have held
our own against a squad four times as big as the one Owens has brought
with him; but now--"

"That'll do," interrupted Bob. "I am not going to have any quarrelling
here; and, Bristow, there's a court-martial coming, and you had better
keep a quiet tongue in your head.--Carey, stand in the mouth of that
passage-way.--Phillips, pick up the carbines, and the rest of you sound
them."

These orders were promptly obeyed, and when the "sounding" had been
completed the deserters had not even a pocket-knife left.

"Now, boys," continued Bob, "as you seem to like these quarters so well,
you can stay here to-night--all except you, Talbot; you will come up and
have your wound examined. We di